Olympus PEN E-P1

Recording Options (6.00)

The Olympus E-P1 uses Motion JPEG (MJPEG) compression to record video. This is the same compression system used by Nikon with the D5000 and D90, and it is also a compression option available on the Panasonic GH1 (the GH1 can do AVCHD recording as well). MJPEG is a bit outdated for a video compression codec, but it does have its benefits. The files are compatible with almost any media player or editing program, and playing MJPEG videos is less taxing for a computer than AVCHD files (which is the most common compression system for HD camcorders).

The E-P1 records HD video at a 1280 × 720 resolution and standard definition video at 640 × 480. While 1280 × 720 is technically high definition, it isn’t Full HD, which is defined as 1920 × 1080 recording. The Canon 5D Mark II, Panasonic GH1, and Canon Rebel T1i all offer some sort of Full HD recording option. The Nikon D5000, as with the Olympus E-P1, does not.

There is a 2GB file size limit on the E-P1, which means no single video file can exceed 2GB in size. If you’re planning on filming long, continuous shots with the camera, this size limit may be a problem. A 2GB file is roughly 10 minutes of video shot with the E-P1, although the length of a 2GB file can vary greatly depending on what you’re shooting. Find out how the E-P1 performed in our video image quality test.

Format	Resolution	Codec
HD Video	1280 x 720	Motion JPEG
SD Video	640 x 480	Motion JPEG

Video Controls (4.25)

The Olympus E-P1 doesn’t have the range of manual controls that are available on some video-capable DSLRs. In video mode, only direct control over exposure, aperture, and white balance are available. There are also Picture Modes and Art Filters that can be used in video mode, some of which we discussed earlier in the Video: Color section of this review. This means there is no manual control for shutter speed or ISO in video mode.

Auto Controls

The camera’s scene modes aren’t available in video mode, but there are a few auto features worth mentioning. Most important is the E-P1’s continuous autofocus function, which is something many video-DSLRs lack. With autofocus set to continuous, the camera will maintain focus while video recording is taking place. You don’t have to press a button or rotate a lens ring to refocus—the camera will do it for you (like a regular camcorder).

The problem is, this autofocus mechanism is loud and isn’t very smooth. You can hear the internal focus motor move every time you point the lens at a new subject. It isn’t quite as good as the continual autofocus on the Panasonic GH1 (the only other video-DSLR to include this feature), and it doesn’t come close to matching the ease at which a regular camcorder provides a live autofocus. Still, it is an extremely useful feature for any video-recording device to have, so we applaud Olympus for including it on the E-P1.

The E-P1’s image stabilization can be used in video mode, but only the I.S.1 setting is functional (even if you set it to I.S.2 or I.S.3).

Zoom

The kit lens for the E-P1 is an M. Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm lens, and it offers a 3x optical zoom. The zoom is controlled by rotating the inner lens ring on the camera’s lens. Of course, if you want more zoom you can always mount a different Micro Four Third lens onto the E-P1.

Focus

As we mentioned earlier, the E-P1 is outfitted with a continuous autofocus feature in video mode. You can also set the camera to manual focus (controlled using the lens ring) or a single push focus. To focus with a single push, you press the camera’s shutter button half-way down just as you would to focus a still photo. Face detection does not work with video mode.

Exposure Controls

Exposure and aperture can both be set manually on the E-P1, but neither can be controlled while video recording is taking place. You can set exposure in any shooting mode, while aperture can only be controlled manually in Aperture-priority mode. It’s good that Olympus allows for aperture adjustment as it is probably the most useful feature for shooting video because it allows you to control depth of field. The aperture range on the E-P1’s kit lens is f/3.5 – f/22. Exposure can be adjusted from -3 to +3 in 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV increments.

Shutter speed cannot be controlled manually on the E-P1. Some of the Art Filters do alter the camera’s shutter speed to produce slow shutter effects and the like, but nowhere on the camera can you manually set a shutter speed for video recording.

Other Controls

You cannot manually control ISO or gain in video mode on the E-P1, but there are plenty of Picture Modes that can be used to adjust color. Here is a link to sample images taken with the available Picture Modes on the camera—Natural, Vivid, Muted, and Portrait. You can also make a customized Picture Mode by directly setting color tone, sharpness, saturation level, etc.

In addition to the Picture Modes there are a number of Art Filters that can be used in video mode. These Art Filters not only make changes to color, but also adjust things like shutter speed and sharpness in order to create a unique effect. The Art Filters available are Pop Art, Pale & Light Color, Soft Focus, Light Tone, Grainy Film, and Pin Hole. Soft Focus and Grainy Film appears to lower the E-P1’s shutter speed to roughly 1/4 of a second, while Pin Hole lowers the shutter even more (to around 1/2 or even 1 second).

Setting a manual white balance on the E-P1 is possible, but the process is not intuitive. You must first choose custom white balance from the camera’s menu, then hold down the Fn button and snap a photo of a white or neutral image. This image is then used to calibrate the camera’s white balance settings. The camera also offers a number of auto white balance presets, all of which can be used in video mode.

You can capture still photos while shooting video on the E-P1, but the photo will be whatever size your video resolution is set at. The camera’s Noise Filter setting did a good job lowering noise levels in video mode and it can be set to low, standard, and high. Strangely, the Noise Reduction feature didn’t do anything to improve the E-P1’s noise levels in video mode.

Audio Features (2.25)

The E-P1 has a built-in stereo microphone that is mounted on the front of the camera, just above the lens. Even though this isn’t much in the way of audio features, it is actually more than some video-capable DSLRs offer. The Nikon D5000 and Canon T1i can only record monaural audio with their built-in mics. The E-P1 only has one audio control—the microphone can be turned on and off.

The built-in mic on the E-P1 may be difficult to find if you don’t already know where it is. The mic is positioned as two small holes on either side of the ‘Olympus’ logo on the front of the camera. This placement is actually quite good: it’s out of the way from wandering fingers, and it isn’t that close to buttons or switches. Still, as with all DSLRs, the mic is going to pick up mechanical noises associated with the camera’s function—there’s no question about it. So, if you truly care about having good sound, we recommend using an entirely separate audio recording device when shooting with the E-P1.